THE chance to own a piece of property in Mecca was tempting.
So a couple pumped in $48,000 of their life savings into buying an apartment in 2005.
They have been regretting it ever since.
They successfully sued the agents when they failed to receive the title deed to the apartment.
But they never received a cent, even after the courts here ordered the agent to give them a full refund in November last year.
According to court papers, the ordeal for Mr Haris Fadzilah Din, 57, and his wife, Madam Juariah Sungep, 51, began when they saw a newspaper advertisement on property investment in Mecca in 2005.
The couple attended a presentation by Oasis Properties Pte Ltd at a Holiday Inn hotel room.
They were assured that if they bought a $55,000 studio apartment at Sokouk Al Intifaa' at Zam Zam Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, they would get a property with high rental returns.
The apartment was touted as being big enough to house four adults. It offered a view of the Kaabah, the holy shrine in Mecca's Grand Mosque.
The couple, who have three children aged 20 to 28, were told that they would be able to lease out the property for seven days a year for 24 years at US$500 ($730) each day. That would work out to earnings of US$84,000 over 24 years.
The contract stated they would get the title deeds within two to three months of making full payment. And they would be able to use the property from 2006.
Mr Haris, a security officer, said in his affidavit that on 2 May 2005, he and his wife, a nurse, paid the first instalment of $16,500.
In August that year, they received a letter from Oasis congratulating them on their purchase. The couple continued with their payments.
In April 2006, they were offered a $7,000 discount off the original $55,000 purchase price if they paid the remaining $13,856.
The couple accepted the deal.
In March 2007, they were told there would be a grand title deed presentation at 'prestigious hotel ballrooms' the following month. It would be attended by 'Singapore Government bodies' and 'religious advisors'.
The presentation never took place.
Judgment set aside
Mr Haris hired lawyer Sunita Parhar to fight his case against Oasis in the Subordinate Courts. On 7 Nov last year, Oasis didn't turn up for the judgment.
The deputy registrar ruled that since Oasis was not present, the agreement between them and the couple was to be rescinded and the company had to pay them back the $48,000.
Damages were to be assessed and interest would be taken into consideration.
But what was to have been a sweet victory became hollow when, seven months after that judgment, Oasis still hadn't paid the couple anything.
Oasis' lawyer, Mr Gurdaib Singh, told The New Paper yesterday that his client had in March applied to set aside the judgment.
He said his client would not be commenting further.
Ms Sunita said she will be filing an affidavit to dispute the application to set aside the judgment.
Speaking to The New Paper on Monday, Mr Haris, who earns $2,000 a month, said he had bought the apartment as an investment with his wife's savings.
He said: 'It's her hard-earned money. She was heartbroken...'
A check with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority described Oasis' business as the promotion of resort activities. Its office is at The Plaza, at Beach Road.
